The Tribulations of Cornelius Fudge
by Nekromans
Summary: An alternate timeline - Crouch is not rendered soulless, and Dumbledore convinces Fudge of Voldemort's return. The Second War begins a year early...
1. Prologue

**THE TRIBULATIONS OF CORNELIUS FUDGE**

By Nekropher O'Mans

PROLOGUE

It was a warm June evening, and the birds were singing in the trees – though a large willow remained birdless, for some reason. Nevertheless, the wildlife of Hogwarts School seemed determined to overcome the depressed mood that had swept over the grounds these last few hours. Their efforts were interrupted by a screech of horror, and the birds, giving in, fled the scene.

Near the Entrance Hall, Cornelius Fudge was being soundly berated.

"I am appalled, Cornelius! You brought one of these – these _things_ to Hogwarts?"

"Come now, Minerva, under the circumstances I would be foolish to enter the school unprotected-" stuttered Fudge.

"_Unprotected?_" cried Minerva, "Do you think we would simply stand by while Crouch had his way with you? Do you think us utterly incompetent?"

"The fact remains," continued Fudge, "that I have been asked to interview a dangerous prisoner, and it is Ministry protocol that I have a Dementor present whenever I may be in danger."

"And it is Hogwarts protocol that Dementors do not enter the grounds! Surely you remember last summer – the creatures nearly took a student's soul!"

"Never proven-"

"Minister," said Minerva, "neither Albus nor I will tolerate your introducing Dementors to Hogwarts. Is that understood?"

Fudge found himself trapped in a glare, and slumped. "Oh, very well." He waved his wand vaguely at the hooded figure, muttering an incantation. A metallic cloud emerged from the end of his wand, forming itself into a silver vole, which shepherded the figure away from the school. Minerva looked on, a stern expression on her face.

"Now, Minister, shall we enter?"

*

Author's comments: In the canon, of course, Fudge did not dismiss the Dementor, and Crouch was rendered soulless as a result. This is the divergence from our world.

I gave Fudge a vole Patronus partly as a result of Redwall's characters – their voles always seemed quite fussy and concerned with the rules, and a mental picture of a vole in a green bowler hat and a pinstripe suit confirmed it. I await your Howlers.


	2. The Interview

CHAPTER ONE

Severus Snape had seen many strange things over the years, but none disturbed him quite so much as Bartemius Crouch did now. He knew him of old – Crouch had been floating around the Death Eater scene shortly before the Dark Lord's demise – and the difference in him was striking. Azkaban had changed him, warped him, and the shock of being caught (aided by the liberal application of Veritaserum) had clearly snapped his fragile mind. Crouch did nothing but stare at the ceiling vacantly, grinning in – triumph? He had reason to, if Potter was telling the truth. It was worrying; the return of the Dark Lord was not something a traitor wished.

It occurred to Snape that, outside Dumbledore, none could be certain he had defected. A smile slowly appeared on his face.

The door opened, and in swept Minerva, closely followed by an edgy Fudge. Snape noted the absence of a Dementor with mild surprise; Minerva must have been able to overcome Fudge's paranoia. Fudge did not look pleased with this turn of events, and sat a good distance from Crouch.

A silence reigned over the room for a moment, before Fudge coughed nervously, muttering, "Better get this over with." He withdrew a quill and some ink from his bag, before conjuring a scroll of parchment, and circling the three in wand-light. The quill dipped itself in ink, and hovered above the parchment.

Fudge cleared his throat: "Interview by Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, of Bartemius Crouch Jnr., on the 16th of June, 1994, concerning various charges, including (but not limited to) the false imprisonment of Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody and the illegal impersonation of the same." As the quill began to write, he continued, "Also present: Professors Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape, both of Hogwarts School.

"Now, then, er, Bartemius," began Fudge, but his words were cut off as Crouch suddenly stared at him, his eyes open just slightly too wide.

"Please, Minister, Bartemius is, er, _was_ my father. I would prefer to be simply 'Crouch'. So," he said, relaxing in his chair, "What do you wish to know?"

Unnerved by Crouch's informality, Fudge pressed on, "I believe you were meant to buried in Azkaban at this point. Since you are blatantly not, how would you explain this?"

Crouch smiled: "That would be my father's doing." To Fudge's incredulous look, he said, "I agree it seems incredible, my father helping me escape jail when he was so eager to sentence me. But nevertheless, it happened. He gave my mother and I Polyjuice potions of each other, and smuggled me out of Azkaban. He left her to rot in my place, of course." Fudge's eyes widened, so Crouch continued, "Does this shock you? She considered it an act of love. You were at the trial, you saw how she was affected by my service to the Dark Lord. I remained in my father's home until my master aided me in overpowering his Imperius curse; I turned the tables, and forced him to remain silent about my master's return. Obviously he broke free at some point, but luckily I disposed of the old bastard before he got to you and Dumbledore."

"Your master? Who is your master?", asked Fudge.

"You-Know-Who. Well," he chuckled, "now you do, anyway."

Fudge's quill had punched a hole in the parchment, and the ink had spilled over the floor. As McGonagall hastily cleared this up, he struggled to find words, saying, "But… I…" After a few seconds, though, his expression firmed. "I see. You intend to plea insanity, do you?"

Minerva interrupted, "Cornelius, he's telling the truth. Potter gave the same testimony to Albus; he's back." There was a trace of sadness in her eyes as she said this.

Fudge stared at her for a second. "And, er, you are prepared to accept Potter's testimony on this matter? Given what he came out with a year ago-"

Minerva shot him a hard look. "Professor Dumbledore trusts Potter, and so do I. He would not lie about an event of this nature."

"Of course, Minerva, but… all the same, it could be that he believes his own story. That story in the _Prophet_… he may have simply hallucinated it…"

Severus interrupted. "Minister, Potter is not the only source here." He drew back his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark on his arm, blackened. "The Mark has been slowly reappearing all year – Karkaroff's, too. An hour ago, I felt a stabbing pain in it: the same signal the Dark Lord gave to call his Death Eaters. _He is back, Minister_."

Crouch smiled again. (Fudge wished he wouldn't.) "Exactly, Severus. I transformed the Cup into a Portkey just minutes after our Ministerial comrade gave it to me, as my master had instructed. The Tournament was essential to the plan…"

"Well, why didn't you just give him a Portkey quill at the end of a lesson and be done with it?", snapped Fudge.

"The Tournament had to be discredited – the death of such a leading champion at the climax would destroy the feelings of 'International Magical Co-operation'. The Dark Lord will not tolerate foreign interference in British affairs, much less your attempts to help them in this regard."

*

_Author's comments: I invented Crouch's reasoning behind forcing Potter to win the Tri-wizard Tournament, but I can't imagine Voldemort being eager to engage in "international magical cooperation". _


	3. Rita's Reports

CHAPTER TWOQUICK-QUOTES LOG-BOOK

PROPERTY: R. SKEETER

DATE: 19/12/1994

RS: [Quietly] This is Rita Skeeter, at the Three Broomsticks. I've been approached by Dolores Umbridge for a chat, and thought it would be best to have a transcript in case she tries anything funny. Here she comes…

DU: Miss Skeeter. I trust I find you in good health?

RS: At the moment, yes. Now, what do you want?

DU: To business already? Such a hectic lifestyle… [sighs] I have read the _Daily Prophet_ all my life, and I particularly pay attention to _your_ articles, Miss Skeeter. Such a way with words… I have paid _special _particular attention, shall we say, to your recent articles on the Triwizard Tournament. And in particular, to your fascination with one of the Hogwarts champions.

RS: Cedric Diggory?

DU: [forced chuckle] Of course. Now, your articles on… Cedric. I believe that these are not the entire truth on the issue – not a failing on your part, of course. There is a deliberate conspiracy in the school to suppress certain facts from emerging into the public arena.

RS: I might remind you that Ministry interference in the free press goes against the-

DU: Miss Skeeter, I am shocked! I am acting purely outside of my office. [sly voice] And I find it strange that you should be so suddenly concerned with the rule of law, after your… history.

RS: I don't have a criminal history.

DU: At the moment, yes. But certain facts have come to light with regard to your… investigative methods, shall we say?

RS: I don't under-

DU: _Bugging_.

[silence]

DU: Dear me, you've spilt your drink everywhere. Now, there are two legal routes from here. You can register, and pay the fine. Or you can take up lodgings with our dear colleagues. You've had experience of them, I believe?

RS: …Azkaban?

DU: Precisely! [pause] But there is another way. I don't need to have had this conversation with you, Miss Skeeter. I could have never been here. And the only way you'd know otherwise is the forty Galleons a month. All you need to do is show the public what Harry Potter _really_ is. It would be the best world for everybody concerned!

RS: …Fine.

DU: Excellent! I have a list of informants you can contact in Hogwarts – you might recognise some of the names – and I strongly suggest you limit your appearances to their presence. Now, I must be going – you won't forget this little chat, will you? No, I'm sure not.

RS: Goodbye, Dolores. [footsteps] Oh, you'll get yours, you horrid little _toad_ of a-

END LOG

DATE: 16/06/95

RS: I'm going to be carrying a Portable Ear to the infirmary window, where Harry Potter is recuperating from a shocking evening of deceit and murder. I won't be able to talk as a beetle, so you'll mainly see other people below.

[wind rushing]

CF: …it really be true, Dumbledore? Is he really back?

AD: I'm afraid so, Cornelius.

MM: We left Severus with Crouch – he'll stand guard until Aurors arrive to take him back to Azkaban.

CF: You won't even allow them to remove a dangerous prisoner-?

AD: I will. But I will not allow Dementors on Hogwarts grounds. I trust the Ministry to reach a situation that satisfies both conditions.

CF: They are Ministry personnel, Dumbledore-

AD: They have no souls, Cornelius. Now Voldemort has returned – still the wince? Ah, well – they will flock to him whenever he commands.

CF: Now that's preposterous-

AD: You believe them to be loyal, then? They are the literal incarnation of terror and despair, not the employees you make them out to be. They have scarce rations at Azkaban, and when Tom recommences the War, Britain will flow over with their milk and honey. It would only take a word for them to shift entirely into his camp.

CF: So you suggest removing them from their post?

AD: I suggest what I always have done: their destruction. While they have been Ministry property, however, this has not been possible or legal. Once we have removed this element from the game, we can move on to his other allies.

CF: What other allies? His last few Death Eaters? I hardly think _they_ would join us.

AD: I mean the giants.

CF: …giants. You want me to ally with the _giants_.

AD: I want them to remain neutral in the War. They were a large component of Tom's army last time, and I believe that depriving him of such partners would give us a chance.

CF: We could achieve the same aim by wiping them out, of course- no. No, that wouldn't be right.

AD: [coldly] Quite.

CF: Then he will have only his Death Eaters, yes? Whatever ones he can scrounge – perhaps two or three…

HP: Avery. Nott. Macnair. Malfoy. Crabbe. Goyle.

[Startled cries]

CF: Harry, you're awake!

AD: And helping already. He just named six of Voldemort's cadre.

CF: I'm sorry, did you say _Malfoy_…?

HG: [quietly] Got you.

[Slamming noise; muffled cursing. Further wind movement.]

RS: That Granger girl… she nearly got me. Probably would have been safer – Draco'd squash me if he thought I knew about his father, and I just know Lucius has his thumb in this plan, and I can't work for a _Death Eater_… But who else is there? [pause] Damn. It's Granger, isn't it…?

[More wind movement]

HG: [quietly] Back so soon? Wait, where are you- [normal voice] Just going to the loo.

[footsteps; a door closes]

RS: Hello, Miss Granger. So nice to see you-

HG: Try anything and I'll Furnuncle you.

RS: Such a sweet girl. I need to talk – and believe me, you're the last person I wanted to ask for help…

HG: Help? Why should I help _you_? My hands were filled with Bubotuber pus because of your BLOODY article! I was a laughing stock!

RS: I wrote that article because I'm being blackmailed by Dolores Umbridge.

HG: The Senior Undersecretary?

RS: Clever girl. If I know Umbridge, Lucius Malfoy's behind all this – Umbridge simply isn't that smart. And I don't fancy working for a Death Eater.

HG: So what's your plan?

RS: I print all the dirt I have on the Malfoys, and work against the Death Eaters. [HG laughs harshly] You think I'd work with those slimeballs? I reported at their trials – they did things I didn't know were possible. I'd rather die than rely on You-Know-Who's mercy – and I probably would.

HG: So you want amnesty in exchange for working for the Ministry?

RS: Yes. [pause] What is it I have to do for you, then?

HG: Nothing at the moment – you're doing it already. But at any point in the future, I get to cash this in.

RS: …Fine. Now, take me to your lead-

END LOG

*

_Author's comments: I chose a different style for this chapter – it suits Rita's journalistic senses more. I also took some theories published on Red Hen as part of the basis for this – namely, that Lucius was controlling Umbridge, and that Rita was working for them._


End file.
